Oregon City plans to buy an unused elementary school building and convert it to a new police station and space for other city offices.

The city and Oregon City School District jointly announced the tentative agreement Friday but did not disclose terms of the deal. City commissioners and the school board must formally approve the transaction.

The city gave the school district rights to use the Barclay property in 1875 as long as the district operated a
"free and public school" there.
Barclay was closed in 1985 and later used by
Oregon City Community Education and partially leased to Marylhurst School.

The city will renovate the Mt. Pleasant building but retain its historic features, said City Manager David Frasher.

Oregon City must upgrade its police headquarters to meet state seismic standards by 2022.

"This is really an elegant solution to what
could have been a messy problem. The proposed deal is an example of how organizations can
collaborate and find solutions that are mutually beneficial for a shared
community," School Superintendent
Larry Didway said in the news release.